Al-Ahram Weekly On-line 30 Nov. - 6 Dec. 2000 Issue No.510

Egypt Region International Economy Opinion Culture Special Travel Living Sports Profile People Time Out Chronicles Cartoons Letters

Engineer faces spying charges

By Jailan Halawi

Sherif Fawzi El-Filali, a 35-year-old Egyptian engineer, was arrested at his home on 27 September in the Cairo suburb of Nasr City, and was ordered by prosecutors a month later to stand trial on charges of spying for Israel. Gregory Jefins, a former Russian army officer, is his alleged accomplice, and is facing the same charge in absentia. According to the indictment bill, both provided Israel with political, economic and military information that harmed Egypt's national interest -- all in return for money.

After obtaining his degree in engineering from Cairo University in 1990, El-Filali travelled to Germany in search of a new job. There, he reportedly fell in love with a Jewish German woman identified as Irina. She is alleged to have introduced him to the head of the Middle East section of a Spanish company, who asked him to learn Hebrew so that he could work for the firm in Israel. He later travelled to Spain where he met the former Russian army officer, Jefins, who was introduced to him as an arms trader.

He visited Egypt several times and returned to settle permanently in 1998.

At a news conference on Tuesday, State Security Prosecutor Hisham Badawi told reporters that Egypt's intelligence agency had informed prosecutors in September that a Russian agent for Israel's Mossad intelligence agency had recruited El-Filali and introduced him to two Israeli intelligence officers.

Israel rejected the Egyptian claim. "Israel firmly denies any involvement in the alleged spying incident reported in Egypt and asserts that it has no connection to the individuals or the details mentioned in the case," Prime Minister Ehud Barak's office said in a statement.

According to prosecutors, El-Filali was assigned to photograph military sites, write reports on the development of Egyptian weapons and collect information on tourism as well as industrial and agricultural projects. These included the Toshka land-reclamation project in the south-western desert.

Badawi said that during interrogation, El-Filali confessed to writing detailed reports about the Toshka project and accepting large sums of money. El-Filali allegedly said in his confession that all the information he obtained came from friends and relatives.

He reportedly confessed as well to having been asked to collect information about various tourist sites in Egypt, especially those in the Red Sea resorts of Hurghada and Sinai.

In search of military information, El-Filali is alleged to have sought a former Major-General in the armed forces and asked him to provide details about modifications introduced to certain military equipment. El-Filali allegedly told the officer that he was the authorised agent of a foreign arms trading company who wanted to purchase military equipment from the Egyptian army. The Major-General refused to provide him with any details, fearing this might threaten Egypt's national security.

Furthermore, the officer told El-Filali that he has to provide the name of the company and the official authorisation issued by the country that wanted to purchase the equipment to determine where the shipment will be sent. He also said that any sale has to be approved by the Defence Ministry.

If found guilty, El-Filali and his accomplice could be sentenced to 25 years in prison, with hard labour.

In 1997, Egypt sentenced an Israeli businessman, Azam Azam, to 15 years in jail after he was convicted of spying for Israel. Azam claims he is innocent and is campaigning for his early release.

The latest case comes at a time when relations between Egypt and Israel are already tense. Last week, Egypt recalled its ambassador to Israel in protest at what it sees as the use of excessive force against Palestinians.

Related stories:
'There are limits' 23 - 29 November 2000
Spy release denied 29 October- 4 November 1998

© Copyright Al-Ahram Weekly. All rights reserved

weeklyweb@ahram.org.eg